This invention relates generally to catalytic oxidizers, and in particular, to an electric catalytic oxidizer for the treatment of hydrocarbon vapors from soil hydrocarbon-air vapor mixture extraction systems, and vapor from manufacturing processes.
Typically the most common application of such catalytic oxidizers is in the destruction of vapors extracted in situ from soils that have been contaminated with hydrocarbons, typically by a hydrocarbon leak from a storage tank. Such applications normally involve the clean-up of vapors contained in an air stream generated during clean-up of hydrocarbon spills, i.e. soil vapor extraction systems. The advantage of a catalytic combustion process is that it can be operated at a much lower temperature and lower hydrocarbon concentration than is possible with ordinary flame combustion. Many applications involve very low concentrations of hydrocarbon where catalytic combustion is efficient, while flame combustion is not practical.